Gore Mountain Conditions

[Cork]

Bone told me at the passholder party the new lift will be like 6 and will not have a loading carpet. Not that I trust anything I hear, this was from Bone directly. Only time will tell.

If, there is conveyor loading, then it can run faster without being detachable, which is a good thing (of course unless it's lift 3, which is the slowest quad lift I have ever been- you can ride Lift 8 or Lift 1 and still beat riders of lift 3 to the top of that lift.)

So, did Gore do the right thing, or do we get boned again...
So yes, only time will tell.

The old towers are being removed by chopper this week

 

[MarzNC]

I'm not sure how much value a belt loader adds on a lift that is used only by experienced skiers. It will run faster on busy days but I wonder how reliable it will be as it ages.

Works fine. Massanutten was one of the first in the southeast to install conveyor loading back in 2009. One for a new quad. The other was a retro-fit for an aging quad.

Was better for the old Supreme triple at Alta before that was replaced with a new high-speed quad (different loading point). The advanced skiers were the slowest to learn how to approach and load. The triple didn't stop nearly as often. Note that there are very popular blue groomers off Supreme so has always had intermediates lapping that lift.

 

[Dmoss]

If, there is conveyor loading, then it can run faster without being detachable, which is a good thing (of course unless it's lift 3, which is the slowest quad lift I have ever been- you can ride Lift 8 or Lift 1 and still beat riders of lift 3 to the top of that lift.)

So, did Gore do the right thing, or do we get boned again...
So yes, only time will tell.

The old towers are being removed by chopper this week

My gut says anything new is going to be a massive improvement from the old triple. Are they going to keep the unload in the same spot? Would be interesting if they could move it a little higher up or closer to Foxlair and reduce some skating (and pond skimming in March/April).

I thought I heard last year that Straight Brook would be replaced before Topridge. Glad they are re-roping it. The every other chair fiasco this year was frustrating.

 

[Milo Maltbie]

My gut says anything new is going to be a massive improvement from the old triple. Are they going to keep the unload in the same spot? Would be interesting if they could move it a little higher up or closer to Foxlair and reduce some skating (and pond skimming in March/April).

I thought I heard last year that Straight Brook would be replaced before Topridge. Glad they are re-roping it. The every other chair fiasco this year was frustrating.

The maximum rope speed is 450 feet/minute for all fixed grip quads. The advantage of a belt loader is that they won't need to slow it down so much, and it won't stop as often, on busy days. If they don't build the belt loader you cab expect the new quad to run slower and stop more often than the triple, at least on busy days.
A few years ago Howie told me that Straightbrook would be replaced before Topridge, but obviously that didn't happen. They replaced the haul rope last year (which is what led to the problems) and now again this year, so we should expect the current lift to be there a long time.

mm

 

[Cork]

They replaced the haul rope last year (which is what led to the problems) and now again this year, so we should expect the current lift to be there a long time.

mm

That is incorrect it was shortened a few yars ago, and the issue came about during the NYS lift inpsection just prior to last season, which is one of the key reasons that management was slow to get the top open (besides no snowmakers!!) Another shhhhh don't tell anybody moment in Gore history

 

[snoloco]

The issues they had were absolutely indicative of a haulrope that was cut too short. The tension system is set to maintain a constant force on the bullwheel. When a lift is fully loaded, the tension carriage will move forward, as the weight of the fully loaded chairs acts against the force applied by the hydraulic cylinder. If the haulrope is too short, then the tension carriage will hit the stops, which will not allow the lift to run.

It's a much more serious issue if the haulrope is too short compared to if it is too long, as it is harder to lengthen a haulrope than to shorten it. Fixing it during the season would've likely meant weeks of downtime. In this case, they opted for full replacement, which should allow the lift to operate normally again.

Also, to set the record straight on loading carpets, if working properly, they always help. If you examine ridership data of lifts that have loading carpets, during times when they are temporarily operated without them, there will be a notable drop in ridership. In short, they work.

 

[Milo Maltbie]

I looked at the Gore website this morning and it no longer has anything about a belt loader on the new lift. I don't think we're gonna see that.
@snoloco I looked around the Ski Bowl last winter. It looks to me like they have compressors and pumps down there. Does that mean that SB snowmaking is completely separate from the main mountain? Could they operate both systems at full volume at the same time? If so, why does Ski Bowl always open late?

mm

 

[TheGreatAbyss]

The maximum rope speed is 450 feet/minute for all fixed grip quads.

What did the old triple run at?

 

[Ripitz]

Also, to set the record straight on loading carpets, if working properly, they always help

I like carpet loading lifts but from my observations people no comprende them.

If you examine ridership data of lifts that have loading carpets, during times when they are temporarily operated without them, there will be a notable drop in ridership.

The Not Lightening Quad at Belle had their carpet loader down for a while so they were forced to run the lift slow. No doubt there’s a decrease in ridership, the thing was barely moving.

 

[Milo Maltbie]

The ANSI standard for triples is 500 fpm, but Liftblog has 450 for Topridge, which is the ANSI standard for quads. I don't think many fixed grips run at max speed on busy days. The new lift may run as fast or faster on slow weekdays, but I expect similar rope speed as the old triple but more stoppages on busy days with the new quad. Maybe it will be better if they improve the loading zone. It should be way better if they add a belt loader, but I think that was spiked.

mm